Internship can be considered as an opportunity for students to gain first-hand practical knowledge about the field or career they wish to follow. It helps to put their theoretical knowledge to practical use and the obvious next step towards building their career as internship provides the experience one needs to apply for a dream job. Writing an internship cover letter is a must while applying for an internship and should be seen as an opening or the window through which the student entices an employer on hiring him as an intern by displaying his various qualities and strengths.
Following are some tips and pointers that can help you to draw up a perfect internship cover letter:
1. The format of the letter:
Whether you are sending your cover letter by mail or email, it is recommended to use a business letter format for composition of your internship cover letter. The letter should include the contact details of the applicant as well as the employer along with a proper
salutation. Make the salutation as personal as possible by using words like, ‘Dear Mr./Ms. Lastname’ or ‘Respected Selection Committee’ etc. Be sure to sign your name at the bottom.
2. Customized internship cover letter:
Every application for internship needs a fresh cover letter instead of the same standard letter doing the rounds in all your applications. This is because every employer has different needs and requirements from an intern and an internship cover letter should be drafted keeping the organization and its needs in mind. For e.g. if you are applying as an intern at an accountancy firm, you can state in your cover letter like, ‘I can prove to be an asset to your firm as accountancy is not only something I am good at but is also my passion.’
3. Provide proofs of your skills:
Although internship itself is a means to garner experience but even for applying for it you need to offer proofs for the skills and qualities that you have boasted about yourself in the cover letter. This can be done by providing the employer with your past academic work which was accomplished by your skills.
4. Include extracurricular experience:
The extracurricular activities performed by you through your academic years can prove to be a bonus in incentive which can give you the touch of practical and field knowledge which the employer might be looking for. So, don’t forget to add in the internship cover letter about the extracurricular experiences, especially if it is relevant to the career or field you are applying for. For e.g. while applying for internship with a photographer you can attach your work done other than what your course included, like pictures taken at your college event or trips outdoors etc.
5. Proofreading is a must:
You wouldn’t want your cover letter to be full of grammatical or spelling mistakes, which can be reason enough to instantly disqualify you for the internship post. It is adamantly necessary for students to proofread your internship cover letter properly to avoid such a scenario.
Gaining an internship is getting competitive day by day. In such cases a perfectly composed cover letter can leave a good impression on the employer and as the saying goes, ‘First
impression is the last impression.’
